Gambero Rosso 2013
Metropolitan Pavilion
Tasted Wednesday, March 20, 2013 by Eric Guido with 768 views
Introduction
Another year and another Gambero Rosso. There were a few surprises this year as some of my favorites underperformed. Yet, there were still many amazing wines to be enjoyed and many happy surprises.
2007 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 95 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
The nose showed ripe red berries, fall leaves and sweet spice in a seductive, feminine and Burgundy style. On the palate, it was tightly wound yet still showing masses of red fruit, plum, citrus and inner floral funk. The finish was staying with spice notes that lingered through the close.
This was beautiful expression of Sangiovese, yet much more appealing in its youth than I’d expect. It may not be as long lived as years like ’01,’04, and ’06, but it should improve slightly over the next five to ten years and give plenty of pleasure over that time.
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2009 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT 94 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
The nose showed intense, luxurious red and blue berry fruit, undergrowth and notes of sour green stems. On the palate, it was fresh yet intense with blue and black fruits and showing incredible structure that lead to a long palate-staining finish. This was a beautiful Tuscan Merlot that should be amazing in a few years’ time.
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2009 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 94 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT
The nose was beautiful, showing intense dark fruits, woodsy and earthy notes with berries and flowers. On the palate, it was soft and balanced with ripe berry fruits and violets on a medium, balanced body that walked the tightrope between richness and cleansing acidity. The structured finish was long and filled with inner floral notes.
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2008 Le Piane Boca 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca
The nose showed wild berry with intense floral notes, violet candies, green stems and dried spices. On the palate, it was firm yet densely packed with pretty red fruits, cool menthol and clean, inner floral tones. The finish showed persistent berry and floral notes in a wonderful tapering off that left the palate craving another sip. This was a beautiful expression of Nebbiolo from northern Piedmont and a producer that any lover of Barolo and Barbaresco should be looking out for.
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2006 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The nose showed ripe strawberry, rosy floral tones, mineral stone and hints of tar. On the palate, it was lean with mouth-coating tannin; yet beneath lurked power as notes of raspberry and cinnamon fought to be seen. The finish continued to flaunt its dominant structure, promising a long life in the cellar. Although this wine is hard to enjoy today, all the components are there to promise a long life. Intense, compact fruit with a good balance of acidity is present and waiting for the tannins to fade away. Bury it in the cellar.
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2009 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
The nose showed red berries, floral notes, herbs and a slight hint of vanilla. On the palate, I found tart red berries with dusty spices and herbal notes leading to a structured finish with fine grain tannins. This was a great young expression of Vigna del Sorbo.
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2007 Venturini Massimino Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campomasua 93 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
The nose showed intense red cherry with notes of orange peel, raisins, roasted nuts, and dark chocolate. On the palate, it was lush with rich textures yet balanced, showing notes of black cherry, raisin and spice. The finish was long with staying medicinal cherry and hints of herbs.
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2008 Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monte Sant'Urbano 93 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
The nose showed tart cherry, herbs, roses and fresh minerals. On the palate, it was intense with rich, yet balanced, notes of cherry, dried spice and dark chocolate. The finish was long with cherry and raisin. This Amarone showed beautiful structure and an intense mix of savory and sweet.
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2007 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 93 Points
Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
The nose showed lemon with minerals and sea tones, followed by earthy schist and green stems. On the palate, it was clean and balanced with soft citrus tones, followed by notes of ripe melon and stone. The finish was pure with mouth-puckering acidity ushering through flavors of citrus and stony minerals.
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2004 Luigi Baudana Barolo Baudana 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The nose showed dark red fruits with brooding notes of plum, menthol and smoky floral tones. On the palate, it showed a firm structure with a balance of ripe fruits, as dark red berries and spice turned to tart fruit and earth tones. The finish was pleasantly long with lingering berry, inner floral notes and undergrowth.
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2009 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore
The nose was densely packed with black currant, blackberry, and plum with hints of herbs and orange peel. On the palate, it was rich and youthful with black fruits and dark chocolate but lacking depth. The finish was long, showing silky structure with lingering black berries and dark chocolate. This was certainly enjoyable, but I can’t justify the price, and I find their second bottle to be just as enjoyable for a much lower tariff.
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2008 Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Nocio dei Boscarelli 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
The nose showed pretty red fruits, floral notes, a slight whiff of vanilla and herbs. On the palate, it was lean yet dense with cool red berry fruit and a great balance of structure and acidity. The finish was tart, long and satisfying. This is a gorgeous, young Vino Nobile.
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2011 Cantina Tramin Gewürztraminer Alto Adige - Südtirol Nussbaumer 92 Points
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol
The nose showed tropical fruits, spice and stems with a hint of balanced sweetness and floral notes. On the palate, it was rich, but not overwhelming, with an oily texture followed by notes of peach, pear and spice. The finish lingered long with spicy inner floral tones and peach slowly melting away from the palate.
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2008 Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella 92 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella
The nose showed mixed berry jam, rich dried fruits and roses. On the palate, it was dense yet balanced with sweet cherry, inner floral tones, and hints of topical fruits. The finish was long and surprisingly bright with lingering notes of spiced cherry.
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2008 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
The nose was restrained and youthful showing cool red berry fruits, plum, woodsy notes and dusty spice. On the palate, I found tart red fruits and inner floral notes with a lean, medium body. Forget this bottle in the cellar for many years, and it should reward patience; otherwise decant and be prepared to wait.
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2009 Nino Negri Sfursat 5 Stelle 92 Points
Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Sforzato di Valtellina
The nose showed raspberry, herbs and intense floral notes. On the palate, it was finely-structured with rich textures that did wonders to balance it out. Notes of tobacco, red berry jam and inner floral tones filled the palate and stayed through the long spicy finish.
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2009 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza La Crena 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza
The 2009 La Crena is dark and brooding with black cherry, tobacco, milk chocolate, baked bread and exotic spice. On the palate, it was muscular yet juicy with red fruits, herbs and cinnamon. The long, mouthwatering finish was laced with tart berry and spice.
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2009 Cantina di Santadi Carignano del Sulcis Riserva Rocca Rubia 91 Points
Italy, Sardinia, Carignano del Sulcis
The nose showed intense red and black berry fruits with floral perfume and just the right amount of green stems. On the palate, it was dense yet balanced with intense mixed berry fruit that stayed long through the finish.
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2006 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
The nose showed intense red berry, crushed fall leaves, vanilla, dark spice and brown sugar. On the palate, it was sweet with medicinal cherry and spices showing as a very modern expression of Brunello. The long structured finish was a good counterbalance to this wine’s otherwise rich and ripe personality. It was not my preference, but there’s no arguing the quality in the bottle.
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2008 Cantina di Santadi Carignano del Sulcis Superiore Terre Brune 90 Points
Italy, Sardinia, Carignano del Sulcis
The nose showed soft red berry fruits and hint of floral undergrowth. On the palate, it was soft and accessible with red berry fruit and a healthy dose of acidity. The finish was long with ripe red berries and spice.
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2011 Gillardi Dogliani Cursalet 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Dogliani
The nose showed blackberry, floral notes, and herbs with a fresh airiness that imparted a lifting note to the blackberry fruit. On the palate, it was rich with juicy blackberry fruits and hints of tannin, which gripped to the senses, ending in a refreshing, dark fruit finish. This was everything I want in a Dolcetto.
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2009 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 90 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
The nose showed strawberry, floral stems, mint and dried cinnamon. On the palate, it was youthfully lean yet balanced, showing red berries and inner floral notes that lasted through the finish. The 2009 may need more time before it blossoms, and I’ll be happy to put some away to wait and see.
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2008 Luigi Baudana Barolo Cerretta 89 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The nose showed tart wild berries, dark, brooding Serralunga mineral and earth tones and wild herbs. On the palate, it showed sweet red fruit with soft textures and hints of spice and vanilla. The finish was tart and a little short, but if I’ve learned anything about Barolo, it’s that the wines of Serralunga tend to need time to gain weight in the bottle.
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2008 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici 85 Points
Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
The nose showed dark black fruits, dry coco, earth and minerals. On the palate, it showed tart berries with an unbalanced does of acidity that left the palate sizzling through the close.
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